Because of my love of public service, I have given a great deal of time and much thought to the advice and encouragement I have received from so many people of good will in Washington State. I certainly want to continue to be of service to our country and to the working men and women who have built it.

After careful consideration and discussions with Elizabeth and my closest friends, I have decided that, at this time, I can best serve from outside the Congress. My commitments to peace, to workers' rights and to social and economic justice are constant and are not dependent upon holding an office. They are dependent upon my continuing to stand up, to speak out, to organize, to motivate and to inspire our nation as to its deeper potential. This I promise I will do with great energy and heart.

***

After not so subtly saying that he wouldn't trek out to Washington state to try and land a congressional seat after losing the primary battle with Marcy Kaptur here on the shores of Lake Erie, Dennis! Kucinich is now — shockingly — flirting with doing exactly that.

He was out in WA and subsequently emailed supporters asking if he should run.

This conversation is right on par with Browns draft talk.

Anyway, Washington State Democratic Chair Dwight Pelz was quick to say Dennis! should just stop losing while he's ahead. (Behind?)

Pelz is having none of it, releasing a statement Sunday stating: "It is clear that Cleveland and Washington State agree one thing: we just don't want Dennis Kucinich. Kucinich was already rejected by Ohio voters after representing them for 15 years, and he isn't going to find meaning in Washington State. Voters in Washington won't be giving Kucinich a mulligan on yet another defeat in Cleveland."

In a conversation with BuzzFeed, David Spring, a board member of the state party's progressive caucus and head of Washington Citizens for Kucinich, said that he was "really disappointed that our state party leader has failed to do his research both about the existing candidates and Dennis' background." The state chair Dwight Pelz said that "We just don't want Dennis Kucinich" and that Kucinich would be remembered as a "narcissist" if he ran and lost in Washington.

His words were "loud and baseless accusations and name calling," said Spring. "I think Dwight is entitled to his opinion about whether Dennis will win or lose, but he's not entitled to engage in name calling." Spring admitted that he and Pelz have had "minor disagreements" over the years.

He flagged a past comment by Pelz calling Kucinich a "carpetbagger" as nothing short of "a violation of Dennis' constitutional rights."

"Dwight owes Dennis and the voters an apology and for that matter he owes the state Democratic Party an apology."

Slight correction: calling someone a carpetbagger is everything short of a violation of constitutional rights.